System and method for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device

ABSTRACT

A bag for containing a fluid and dispensing the fluid into an article, the article defining a fluid receiving aperture. The bag includes a substantially deformable body, the body defining a cavity for containing the fluid; a substantially rigid dispensing portion, the dispensing portion including an inlet, an outlet and a passageway extending therebetween, the inlet being in fluid communication with the cavity; and a closing portion extending across the dispensing portion for blocking the latter, the closing portion being puncturable by the article to allow the fluid to flow from the cavity to the fluid receiving aperture through the inlet, the passageway and the outlet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the dispensing of fluids. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a system and method for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A common tool used in the painting industry is a spray gun. A spray gun typically uses compressed air to eject paint contained in a reservoir towards a surface to paint. Many spray guns include a reservoir that feeds the paint into the gun through gravity. Accordingly, the reservoir is located on an upper portion of the spray gun.

A painter typically needs to mix paint components, including for example pigments of different colors and paint additives, to obtain a paint having suitable characteristics. To that effect, in an existing system, the painter uses a disposable paint mixing cup to combine different paint components in appropriate proportions. The paint mixing cup includes marks typically printed on an outside wall of the cup, each of the marks indicating an appropriate filling level to arrive at a proper mixture proportion. The paint mixing cup has a flat bottom, which is necessary for ensuring the different paint components are mixed properly.

Once all the paint components are mixed, the resulting paint is then poured from the paint mixing cup into a paint gun cup that is subsequently sealed with a lid. The bottom of the paint gun cup is typically funnel-shaped and therefore allows paint to flow easily into the gun, even if the gun is not maintained so that the paint gun cup is not completely vertical.

Once painting is terminated, it is required that the gun and the paint gun cup be cleaned with an appropriate solvent. Such solvents are typically relatively expensive and also damaging to the environment. Also, these solvents are sometimes hazardous to human health.

Since the mixing cup is disposable, there is an additional cost to be incurred by the painter each time a new paint is mixed. Furthermore, cleaning the gun and the paint gun cup, along with the lid, is time consuming.

Many devices have been invented to try to circumvent the above-mentioned disadvantages. For example, such devices are found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,687 issued to Navis et al. Mar. 25, 2003, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,441 issued to Petrie et al. Jul. 22, 2003, and in U.S. patent application Publications 2002/0134861 filed by Petrie et al. and published Sep. 26, 2002, 2003/0006311 filed by Rothrum et al. and published Jan. 9, 2003, and 2004/0016825 filed by Petri et al. and published Jan. 29, 2004. In these documents, there is a description of many types of reservoirs used to mix the paint and to subsequently contain the paint when painting with the spray gun. These reservoirs replace the paint gun cup.

Since there is a requirement to have a flat, rigid bottom for mixing and a funnel-shaped portion for pouring paint into the gun, such reservoirs typically include a funnel-shaped lid that is placed on top of the reservoir after the paint has been mixed. Therefore, paint flows into the spray gun through the lid. Such lids represent a substantial portion of the costs incurred in manufacturing these reservoirs. Also, such lids require that adaptors be used to adapt the lid to the spray paint gun.

In other systems, such as the systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,875 issued to Devey on Aug. 8, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,681 issued to Rothrum et al. on Jul. 8, 2003 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,350 issued to Kosmyna et al. on Dec. 16, 1996, a liner is used inside to protect the interior of a paint container. The systems described in these Patents have a disadvantage of requiring the use of a paint mixing cup, which either needs to be cleaned or disposed of after use.

Furthermore, in the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,350, it is relatively inconvenient to store unused paint that might be left after painting. Also, it is likely that a small amount of paint drips into the cup when the liner is removed, which requires that the cup be cleaned.

Against this background, there exists a need in the industry to provide an improved reservoir for containing fluid, and a system for using the same.

The present description refers to a number of documents, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved system and method for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first broad aspect, the invention provides a bag for containing a fluid and dispensing the fluid into an article, the article defining a fluid receiving aperture. The bag includes:

-   -   a. a substantially deformable body, the body defining a cavity         for containing the fluid;     -   b. a substantially rigid dispensing portion, the dispensing         portion including an inlet, an outlet and a passageway extending         therebetween, the inlet being in fluid communication with the         cavity; and     -   c. a closing portion extending across the dispensing portion for         blocking the latter, the closing portion being puncturable by         the article to allow the fluid to flow from the cavity to the         fluid receiving aperture through the inlet, the passageway and         the outlet.

Advantageously, the bag is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and reduces an amount of cleaning solvent required to clean the liquid spraying device after its use. In addition, the bag allows to reduce costs as it eliminated the need for a disposable paint mixing cup. Also, the bag allows storing unused paint relatively easily and relatively inexpensively.

In another broad aspect, the invention provides a system for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device, the liquid spraying device defining a fluid receiving aperture. The system includes:

-   -   a. a substantially flexible bag for containing the fluid to         dispense, the bag including a dispensing portion having an         outlet for dispensing the fluid; and     -   b. a frame for receiving the bag, the frame being connectable to         the liquid spraying device, the frame including a frame aperture         for allowing a user to connect the bag to the liquid spraying         device upon the bag being filled with the fluid to dispense.

Advantageously, the system is relatively easy to use and allows preparing a bag of fluid to spray, such as for example paint, prior to attaching the bag to the liquid spraying device. Also, the system is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the system had all the advantages of the above-described bag as such a bag is part of the system.

In yet another broad aspect, the invention provides a method for providing a fluid to a liquid spraying device, the method including the steps of:

-   -   a. providing a substantially deformable bag containing the         fluid;     -   b. providing a liquid spraying device having a fluid admission         portion defining a fluid receiving aperture;     -   c. securing the bag to the liquid spraying device;     -   d. piercing the bag with the fluid admission portion; and     -   e. securing the fluid admission portion to the bag for allowing         the fluid contained therein to flow through the fluid receiving         aperture.

In yet another broad aspect, the invention provides a system for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device defining a fluid receiving aperture, the system including:

-   -   a. a flexible bag for containing the fluid to dispense, the bag         including a dispensing portion having an outlet for dispensing         the fluid, the dispensing portion being connectable to the fluid         receiving aperture; and     -   b. a frame for receiving the bag, the frame being connectable to         the liquid spraying device.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the appended drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system for dispensing a fluid including a frame receiving a bag and an adapter;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the system of FIG. 1 with the bag removed from the frame;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the frame and adapter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the bag of FIG. 1 with a clip attachable thereto;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a cup and a base thereof for receiving the bag of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the cup and base of FIG. 5 receiving the bag of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a system 10 for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device 12. An example of a liquid spraying device is a spray paint gun. However, the reader skilled in the art will readily appreciate that any suitable liquid spraying device is usable in conjunction with the invention. The liquid spraying device 12 defines a fluid receiving aperture 14. The fluid receiving aperture 14 receives the fluid from the system 10.

The system 10 includes a substantially flexible bag 16 for containing the fluid to dispense. The bag 16 includes a dispensing portion 20 having an outlet 22 for dispensing the fluid.

The system 10 further includes a frame 18 for receiving the bag 16. The frame 18 is connectable to the liquid spraying device 12. The frame 18 includes a frame aperture 24 for allowing an intended user to connect the bag 16 to the liquid spraying device 12 further to the bag having 16 been filled with the fluid to dispense.

As better seen in FIG. 2 wherein the bag 16 is omitted, the system 10 further includes an adaptor 26 for securing the frame 18 to the liquid spraying device 12. In some embodiments, the system 10 further includes a plug 17 (shown in cross-section in FIG. 1) for blocking the outlet 22 of the bag 16 upon the bag 16 being disconnected from the adaptor 26. Furthermore, in some embodiments of the invention, the system 10 further includes a clip 30, shown in FIG. 4, the clip 30 being for pinching the bag 16 in proximity to the dispensing portion 20 thereof so as to prevent a flow of liquid through the outlet 22. In addition, the clip 30 helps in mixing the fluid by preventing the fluid from being stuck within the dispensing portion 20.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in some embodiments of the invention, the system 10 further includes a cup 32 defining a cup aperture 34 through which a dispensing portion of the bag 16 is insertable. The cup 32 is for receiving the bag 16 and thereafter allowing measuring predetermined quantities of fluid components to mix to form the fluid to dispense. In some embodiments, the system 10 further includes a cup stand 36 for supporting the measuring cup 32. However, in alternative embodiments of the invention, the system 10 does not include a cup or does not include a cup and a cup stand.

FIG. 4 illustrates in more detail, the bag 16. As mentioned hereinabove, the bag 16 contains a fluid and dispenses the fluid into an article, such as the liquid spraying device 12, the liquid spraying device 12 defining the fluid receiving aperture 14. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the bag 16 dispenses the fluid into any other suitable article. A non-limitative example of such an article is an adaptor, such as the adaptor 26.

The bag 16 includes a substantially deformable body 38, the substantially rigid dispensing portion 20 extending from the body 38 and a closing portion 42 blocking the outlet 22 defined in the fluid dispensing portion 20. The dispensing portion 20 includes an inlet 46, the outlet 22 and a passageway 48 extending therebetween. In alternative embodiments of the invention, a closing portion blocks any other part of the dispensing portion 20, such as the inlet 46 or the passageway 48.

In some embodiments of the invention, the dispensing portion 20 is substantially cylindrical and includes a substantially cylindrical tube 54 inserted within a substantially cylindrical extension 55 extending from the body 38. However, it is within the scope of the invention to have bags including any other suitable dispensing portion.

The body 38 defines a cavity 39 for containing the fluid. The inlet 46 is in fluid communication with the cavity 39. The closing portion 42 is puncturable by the article to allow the fluid to flow from the cavity 39 to the fluid receiving aperture 14 through the inlet 46, the passageway 48 and the outlet 44.

In some embodiments of the invention, a bag similar to the bag 16 is filled with the fluid and then permanently sealed at the factory. This embodiment is not illustrated in the drawings, but the reader skilled in the art will readily appreciate how to manufacture such a bag.

However, the bag 16 shown in the drawings defines a fluid admission aperture 54 allowing to fill the bag 16 with the fluid. The fluid admission aperture 54 is provided substantially opposite to the dispensing portion 40. In addition, the bag 16 includes a closing device 56 for reversibly closing the fluid admission aperture 54. In some embodiments of the invention, however, the closing device does not reversibly close the fluid admission aperture but instead permanently closes the fluid admission aperture 54.

In some embodiments of the invention, the body 38 is substantially tapered towards the fluid dispensing portion 40. More specifically, the body 38 includes a first tapered portion 50 that is substantially adjacent to the dispensing portion 20 and a second tapered portion 52 substantially adjacent to the first tapered portion 50. The first and second tapered portions 50 and 52 are tapered towards the dispensing portion 20. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the second tapered portion 52 is replaced by a portion of substantially uniform cross-section.

The first and second tapered portions 50 and 52 are formed by first and second substantially opposed walls, only one of which, wall 51, is shown in the drawings. The two walls are connected at two wall junctions 57 and 59. The wall junctions 57 and 59 extend from the dispensing portion 40 to the fluid admission aperture 54.

Within the first tapered portion 50, the wall junctions 57 and 59 are substantially curved and define a concave portion 61 within the cavity 39. Within the second tapered portion 52, the wall junctions 57 and 59 are substantially straight.

In specific embodiments of the invention, the bag 16 is manufactured from high density polyethylene. Among other advantages, having the bag formed of a flexible material, such as high density polyethylene, allows having a closing portion 42 that is relatively easy to pierce by a suitably shaped article.

The closing device 56 includes first and second closing device sections and formed in the body 16. The first and second closing device sections and close the fluid admission aperture 56 through the first closing device section frictionally engaging the second closing device section. The first closing device section is formed in the first wall 51 and the second closing device section is formed in the second wall (not shown in the drawings).

The first and second closing device sections are of a type well known in the art, wherein the first closing device section includes a ridge and the second closing device section includes a groove. Engagement of the ridge within the groove closes the fluid admission aperture. This type of device is used in bags commonly known under the name “Ziploc™”.

Referring to FIG. 3, the frame 18 includes a substantially cylindrically shaped body 70 and a frame attachment portion 72 extending from the body 70. The frame attachment portion 72 is securable to the liquid spraying device 12 through the adaptor 26. The frame attachment portion 72 defines the frame aperture 24.

The frame attachment portion 72 is substantially U-shaped and includes first and second legs 74 and 76 each extending from the body 70, and an intermediate section 77 connecting the first leg 74 to the second leg 76. The frame attachment portion 72, and more specifically the intermediate portion 77 defines an attachment aperture 78 for receiving the adaptor 26.

The adaptor 26 includes a hollow bolt 80 and a nut 82. The bolt 80 is provided with a bolt aperture 84 extending therethrough. The bolt 80 is insertable within the attachment aperture 78 and the nut 82 is threadable onto the bolt 80 upon the bolt being inserted within the attachment aperture 78. The bolt aperture 84 includes a threaded end 86 for securing the adaptor 86 to the liquid spraying device 12. In addition, the bolt 80 includes a sharpened end 88 opposite the threaded end 86, the sharpened end 88 being for piercing the closing portion 42.

The body 70 includes first and second substantially opposed ends 90 and 92, the first and second legs extending from the first end 90 and the second end 92 defining a substantially longitudinally oriented notch 94 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) for receiving the bag 16. In some embodiments of the invention, as shown in the drawings, more than one notch 94 are defined by the second end 92.

The body 70 includes a longitudinally oriented body aperture 96 extending from the first end 90 to the second end 92. As seen in FIG. 1, the body aperture 96 allows monitoring an amount of fluid left within the bag 16 when using the system 10.

In other words, the system 10 is for dispensing a fluid to the liquid spraying device 12 which defines a fluid receiving aperture. The system 10 includes a flexible bag 16 for containing the fluid to dispense, the bag including a dispensing portion 20 having an outlet 22 for dispensing the fluid, the dispensing portion 20 being connectable to the fluid receiving aperture. The system 10 further includes the frame 18 for receiving the bag 16. The frame is connectable to the liquid spraying device 12.

In some embodiments of the invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the system 10 includes a graduated measuring cup 32 along with the cup support 36. The measuring cup 32 includes a substantially frustoconical peripheral wall 96 and a bottom wall 98 extending substantially inwardly from the peripheral wall 96. The bottom wall 98 defines a cup aperture 54.

In some embodiments of the invention, graduation marks and other indicia are written directly onto the cup 32. In other embodiments of the invention, a detachable graduation sheet 100 is inserted onto the cup 32 when measurements are made. Cups 32 and measurement sheets 100 are well known in the art and will therefore not be described in further details. In yet other embodiments of the invention, the cup 32 is not graduated.

The support 36 is any suitable support, such as a cylindrical piece of material having a diameter suitable for receiving the bottom wall 98 and adjacent portions of the peripheral wall 96.

Referring to FIG. 6, the clip 30 is substantially U-shaped and includes two legs 104 and 106 connected by a curved portion 108. The two legs 104 and 106 are substantially parallel. In some embodiments of the invention, the two legs 104 and 106 are spaced apart by a distance substantially smaller than a thickness of the two walls 51 and (not shown). In other embodiments of the invention, the two legs 104 and 106 contact each other when the clip 30 is not attached to the bag 16. The clip 30 is sufficiently resilient that the two legs 104 and 106 are spaced apart without damaging the clip 30 when attaching the clip 30 to the bag 16. To facilitate an attachment of the clip 30 to the bag 16, the legs 104 and 106 each include a respective pointed extremity 110 and 112.

Briefly, in use, the system 10 allows to perform a method for providing a fluid to the liquid spraying device 12. The method includes steps of providing a substantially deformable bag 16 containing the fluid, providing a liquid spraying device 12 having a fluid admission portion defining a fluid receiving aperture 24; securing the bag 16 to the liquid spraying device 12; piercing the bag 16 with the fluid admission portion; and securing the fluid admission portion to the bag 16 to allow the fluid contained therein to flow through the fluid receiving aperture 24.

The reader skilled in the art will readily appreciate that this method for providing a fluid is applicable to any suitable system, device and implement through which a fluid is supplied. Therefore, this method is not restricted to the above described system 10 and the components thereof.

Referring now more specifically to the system 10, the use thereof is described in further details hereinbelow. The description hereinbelow refers mainly to the use of the system 10 to mix paint and to supply the paint to a spray gun for painting a surface. However, it is within the scope of the invention to use a system 10 in any other suitable application.

Also, for the purpose of this description, the term paint includes all suitable materials intended for use with a spray gun. These materials include, non-limitatively, colored paints, primers, base coats, finishing coats, clear coats, lacquers, varnishes, adhesives and powdered paints, among others.

First, the bolt 80 is threaded onto the paint gun 12. Then, the frame 18 is inserted onto the bolt 80 through the frame aperture 78 and the nut 84 is threaded onto the bolt 80.

Then, the paint is mixed. To that effect, the clip 30 is inserted onto the bag 16 in proximity to the inlet 22 of the dispensing portion 20. If the paint is measured using a scale, it is sufficient to support the bag 16 in an appropriate manner, for example by putting the bag 16 inside the cup 32 and putting the cup 32 onto a scale. Then, the paint is weighed in a manner that is well known in the art.

If the paint is mixed using volume measurements, the paint is either measured and mixed using a standard mixing cup with the mixed paint being poured into the bag 16. Alternatively, the required amounts of paint components are measured with the bag 16 in place within a graduated cup 32 and thereafter mixed.

Then, the bag is closed and attached to the frame 18 through the notches 74 and the closing portion 42 is pierced using the sharpened end 84 of the bolt 80. Subsequently, the clip 30 is detached from the bag 16, thereby allowing paint to flow into the gun 12.

Once painting is finished, the bag 16 is removed from the frame 18. Then, the plug 17 is usable to seal the bag 17.

Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1. A bag for containing a fluid and dispensing the fluid into an article, the article defining a fluid receiving aperture, said bag comprising: a. a substantially deformable body, said body defining a cavity for containing the fluid; b. a substantially rigid dispensing portion, said dispensing portion including an inlet, an outlet and a passageway extending therebetween, said inlet being in fluid communication with said cavity; and c. a closing portion extending across said dispensing portion for blocking the latter, said closing portion being puncturable by said article to allow the fluid to flow from said cavity to the fluid receiving aperture through said inlet, said passageway and said outlet.
 2. A bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said closing portion extends across said outlet.
 3. A bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said body includes a tapered portion substantially adjacent to said dispensing portion.
 4. A bag as defined in claim 3, wherein said dispensing portion includes a substantially cylindrical tube, said tube defining said passageway.
 5. A bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said body defines a fluid admission aperture allowing to fill said bag with said fluid.
 6. A bag as defined in claim 5, wherein said fluid admission aperture is provided substantially opposite to said dispensing portion.
 7. A bag as defined in claim 6, wherein said body includes a closing device for closing said fluid admission aperture.
 8. A bag as defined in claim 7, wherein said closing device is for reversibly closing said fluid admission aperture.
 9. A bag as defined in claim 8, wherein said closing device includes first and second closing device sections formed in said body, said first and second closing device sections closing said fluid admission aperture through said first closing device section frictionally engaging said second closing device section.
 10. A bag as defined in claim 9, wherein said body includes first and second substantially opposed walls, said first and second walls extending between said dispensing portion and said fluid admission aperture.
 11. A bag as defined in claim 10, wherein said first closing device section is formed in said first wall and said second closing device section is formed in said second wall.
 12. A bag as defined in claim 11, wherein said first closing device section includes a ridge and said second closing device section includes a groove, an engagement of said ridge within said groove closing said fluid admission aperture.
 13. A system for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device, said liquid spraying device defining a fluid receiving aperture, said system comprising: a. a substantially flexible bag for containing the fluid to dispense, said bag including a dispensing portion having an outlet for dispensing the fluid; and b. a frame for receiving said bag, said frame being connectable to said liquid spraying device, said frame including a frame aperture for allowing a user to connect said bag to said liquid spraying device upon said bag being filled with the fluid to dispense.
 14. A system as defined in claim 13, further comprising an adapter for securing said frame to the liquid spraying device.
 15. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein said frame includes a substantially cylindrically shaped body and a frame attachment portion connected to said body, said frame attachment portion being securable to the liquid spraying device through said adapter.
 16. A system as defined in claim 15, wherein said frame attachment portion defines said frame aperture.
 17. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein said frame attachment portion is substantially U-shaped, said frame attachment portion including: a. first and second legs, each of said first and second legs extending from said body; and b. an intermediate section connecting said first leg to said second leg.
 18. A system as defined in claim 17, wherein said frame attachment portion defines an attachment aperture for receiving said adapter.
 19. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein said adapter includes a hollow bolt and a nut, said hollow bolt defining a bolt aperture, said bolt being insertable within said attachment aperture and said nut being threadable onto said bolt upon said bolt being inserted within said attachment aperture.
 20. A system as defined in claim 19, wherein said bolt aperture includes a threaded end for securing said adapter to the liquid spraying device.
 21. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. said bag includes a substantially deformable body, said body defining a cavity for containing the fluid; b. said dispensing portion is substantially rigid; c. said dispensing portion including an inlet, said outlet and a passageway extending therebetween, said inlet being in fluid communication with said cavity; and d. said bag includes a closing portion extending across said dispensing portion for blocking the latter, said closing portion being puncturable by said adapter to allow the fluid to flow from said cavity to the fluid receiving aperture through said inlet, said passageway, said outlet and said bolt aperture.
 22. A system as defined in claim 21, wherein said cylindrically shaped body includes first and second substantially opposed ends, said first and second legs being connected to said first end and said second end defining a substantially longitudinal notch for receiving said bag.
 23. A system as defined in claim 22, further comprising a plug for blocking said outlet upon said bag being disconnected from said adapter.
 24. A system as defined in claim 13, further comprising a graduated measuring cup for receiving said bag and thereafter allowing a measurement by an intended user of a predetermined quantities of fluid components to mix to form the fluid to dispense.
 25. A system as defined in claim 24, wherein said graduated measuring cup defines a cup aperture through which said dispensing portion is insertable.
 26. A system as defined in claim 25, further comprising a cup stand for supporting said measuring cup.
 27. A system as defined in claim 25, further comprising a clip for pinching said bag in proximity to said dispensing portion so as to prevent a flow of liquid through said outlet.
 28. A method for providing a fluid to a liquid spraying device, said method comprising the steps of: a. providing a substantially deformable bag containing the fluid; b. providing a liquid spraying device having a fluid admission portion defining a fluid receiving aperture; c. securing the bag to the liquid spraying device; d. piercing the bag with the fluid admission portion; and e. securing the fluid admission portion to the bag for allowing the fluid contained therein to flow through the fluid receiving aperture.
 29. A system for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device defining a fluid receiving aperture, said system comprising: a. a flexible bag for containing the fluid to dispense, said bag including a dispensing portion having an outlet for dispensing the fluid, said dispensing portion being connectable to the fluid receiving aperture; and b. a frame for receiving said bag, said frame being connectable to said liquid spraying device. 